I compared £1 Waitrose baked beans to Asda, Aldi and Morrisons tins – result shocked me

Baked beans, a staple in many British households, are not only an affordable and satisfying lunch option but also packed with fibre and protein. However, the price of this humble food can vary significantly across different stores.

A tin from famed brand Heinz could set you back as much as £1.40, while most supermarket own-brands hover around the 40p mark. This means that by simply switching to supermarket brands, you could save roughly £100 annually.

Besides being budget-friendly, half a tin of baked beans on a jacket potato or toast can provide a reasonably nutritious meal. On average, half a tin contains about 180 calories, along with 5g of fibre and 10g of sugar.

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With all these factors considered, I set out to determine which supermarket's baked beans reign supreme. Here's how it went:

Waitrose Duchy Organic Baked Beans in Tomato Sauce (£1, 420g)

Nutritional information per half can: 182 cal, 1.1g fat, 0.2g saturates, 9.2g sugar, 1.11g salt

Waitrose's Duchy Organic Baked Beans topped the price chart at supermarkets, but an essentials option was available for a modest 55p. Each purchase contributes to the Prince of Wales's charities, offering customers a morally satisfying dining experience.

The tin, a hefty 420g delight, was impressive in its generosity, particularly with the cooked haricot beans that lavishly smothered my thick-cut toast. The ratio may not be everyone's cup of tea – those liking more sauce may be left wanting – however, the quality of the beans shone through. The only thing that let the beans down were there extortionate price (compared to others on this list).

RATING: 8/10

Lidl’s Newgate Baked Beans in Rich Tomato Sauce (42p, 425ml)

Nutritional information per half can: 197 cal, 1.5g fat, 0.4g saturates, 10.3g sugar, 1.05g salt

An initial inspection of Lidl's Newgate baked beans promised a well-sauced portion ideal for toast coverage. But as soon as I took my first bite I noticed a taste of herbs.

Glancing on the ingredients, I noticed this may be down to the "basil extract" but I soon realised I wanted nothing like that near my cherished beans. I felt it completely overpowered the taste I was looking forward to.

RATING: 4/10

Sainsbury’s Baked Beans (40p, 400g)

Nutritional information per half can: 168 cal, 0.9g fat, 0.2g saturates, 8.5g sugar, 1.05g salt

Sainsbury's version appeared to be a contender for my favourite when I poured out its contents onto my toast – seemingly with a perfect sauce-to-bean ratio.

Its tomato-rich sauce also distinguished itself from others that opt for puree – a budget-saving substitute. Ingredients like paprika powder and extract added a lunchtime zing and rounded out a moreish mouthful.

The beans had a slightly firmer texture than those in other cans which saw me give (perhaps brutally) a lower rating than others but it still was a solid option for just 40p.

RATING: 6/10

Tesco Baked Beans (42p, 420g)

Nutritional information per half can: 177 cal, 0.8g fat, 0.1g saturates, 9.7g sugar, 1.03g salt

Tesco's offering were smothered in a rich, vibrant sauce that spread nicely over the toast. A solid can of beans, it was slightly heavier than some of the others, which would undoubtedly please those who like a generous serving.

A glance at the ingredients revealed the presence of clove and capiscum extract. But this time, the welcome addition of paprika elevated the beans to another level. Were it not for my next cans, these could well have clinched top spot.

RATING: 8/10

Asda Baked Beans in a Rich Tomato Sauce (42p, 410g)

Nutritional information per half can: 187 cal, 1g fat, 0.2g saturates, 8.6g sugar, 0.96g salt

After developing an unexpected expertise in beans, I checked the label after my first taste and was pleased to find that the slight kick came from a hint of paprika.

The bright orange sauce immediately caught my eye when I poured the Asda beans onto my plate. My initial thought was "solid looking beans", and I wasn't disappointed; they were indeed a good can of beans, even if they weighed slightly less than others.

RATING: 9/10

Aldi Bramwells Baked Beans (41p, 410g)

Nutritional information per half can: 187 cal, 1.1g fat, 0.2g saturates, 9.8g sugar, 1.09g salt

Upon soaking my bread with them, Aldi's offering appeared to be a dependable choice, effectively balancing sauce and beans. It's not surprising that this product outperformed major brands in a Which? taste test – they would be my pick if I was looking to save money without compromising on quality.

However, they might be slightly too sweet compared to the more paprika-focused beans, even though their sugar content is only slightly higher than some competitors.

RATING: 7/10

Morrisons Baked Beans (45p, 410g)

Nutritional information per half can: 168 cal, 0.7g fat, 0.2g saturates, 11.3g sugar, 1.07g salt

Morrisons Baked Beans stood out as they were the only tin to feature two yellow indicators on the nutritional traffic light system, with both sugar and salt exceeding the green threshold. Most cans, conversely, were yellow for salt and green for the remaining categories.

They were also the priciest can of beans outside of Waitrose, albeit by a small margin. The beans boasted a vibrant red sauce as they spread across the bread. Overall, they perhaps weren't to my liking, possibly a tad too sweet.

RATING: 7/10

The verdict

After a week of testing the supermarket's top own-brand offerings, it was Asda's 42p can that emerged victorious. It wasn't overly sweet and had a robust kick from the rich tomato sauce.

While it may have been slightly more calorific than some of the other baked beans on the market, it contained less sugar, which is always a plus for those mindful of their health. And while I wouldn't necessarily recommend having beans on toast for lunch every working day, it did provide a solid mid-day meal.

What does the NHS say about baked beans?

According to the NHS website around three heaped teaspoons of baked beans constitute a portion, which equates to roughly a fifth of a tin. The British Heart Foundation, on the other hand, states that half a 400g tin or a 200g tin counts as a portion.

The BHF advises choosing a baked bean variety that is low in salt and sugar where possible.